Infinitely variable toric transmission

Abstract

An infinitely variable toric transmission has a housing, input and output shafts rotatably and coaxially supported in the housing, toric input and output disks fitted on and engaged with the input and output shafts, respectively, for rotation together, the opposed surfaces of the disks cooperating with each other to form a toric cavity, two right and left traction rollers disposed in the toric cavity symmetrically with respect to the axis of the input and output shafts, trunnion devices rotatably supporting the traction rollers and supported in the housing through upper and lower support link members for rightward and leftward pivotal movement about a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotational axes of the traction rollers, and pressing means for abutting the input and output disks and the traction rollers into engagement with each other and generating a traction force. One of the upper and lower support link members is supported in the housing by a sliding post for slight rightward and leftward movement and the other of the upper and lower support link members has its central portion tiltably supported in the housing by a spherical post. The transmission is characterized in that hydraulic cylinder devices are provided which extend on the upper and lower pivot shaft ends, respectively, of the right and left trunnion devices, the right and left cylinder diameter of the cylinder devices which is adjacent to the spherical post is larger than the right and left cylinder diameter of the cylinder devices which is adjacent to the sliding post, and the cylinder devices on each diagonal are conjunctioned with each other by pipings.

I claim: 
     
       1. An infinitely variable toric transmission having a housing, input and output shafts rotatably and coaxially supported in said housing, toric input and output disks fitted on and engaged with said input and output shafts, respectively, for rotation together, the opposed surfaces of said disks cooperating with each other to form a toric cavity, two right and left traction rollers disposed in said toric cavity symmetrically with respect to the axis of said input and output shafts, trunnion devices rotatably supporting said traction rollers and supported in said housing through upper and lower support link members for rightward and leftward pivotal movement about a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotational axes of said traction rollers, and pressing means for abutting said input and output disks and said traction rollers into engagement with each other and generating a traction force, one of said upper and lower support link members being supported in said housing by a sliding post for slight rightward and leftward movement and the other of said upper and lower support link members having its central portion tiltably supported in said housing by a spherical post, characterized in that hydraulic cylinder devices are provided which extend on the upper and lower pivot shaft ends, respectively, of said right and left trunnion devices, the right and left cylinder diameter of said cylinder devices which is adjacent to said spherical post is larger than the right and left cylinder diameter of said cylinder devices which is adjacent to said sliding post, and the cylinder devices on each diagonal are conjunctioned with each other by pipings. 
     
     
       2. An infinitely variable toric transmission according to claim 1, wherein the pistons of said cylinder devices extending on the upper and lower pivot shaft ends of said right and left trunnion devices are disposed at said pivot shaft ends, respectively, through thrust bearings.